One of Liverpool’s most promising youngsters has reportedly been catching the eye of a club who recently celebrated promotion.
According to Derbyshire Live, Bobby Clark has been the subject of long-term admiration from Derby County, who’ve returned to the Championship this year after two seasons in League One, and manager Paul Warne is naturally on the lookout for players to strengthen his squad for the 2024/25 campaign.
The Rams could look to the Premier League loan market for additions over the summer, and to that effect they might be in a position to offer regular first-team football to the 19-year-old Reds midfielder.
The Championship has often been a perfect setting for young Liverpool players to prove themselves at senior level and return to Anfield ready to make an impact for their parent club.
Harvey Elliott’s loan spell at Blackburn in 2020/21 is a prime example, with Fabio Carvalho now potentially following suit after he thrived for Hull City in the second half of this season. Tyler Morton has also had promising stints at both of those clubs over the past couple of years.
Clark was dubbed a ‘really exciting‘ talent by Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder upon leaving Newcastle’s academy for Merseyside in 2021, and he’s lived up to that billing since then, already earning 14 senior appearances for the Reds and scoring against Sparta Prague in the Europa League in March.
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The 19-year-old may view pre-season as the perfect opportunity to make an early impression on Arne Slot and potentially emulate Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley in making the leap from academy prospect to genuine first-team option over the next 12 months.
However, if competition for midfield places proves too stern for the teeenager to get much of a look-in, then a loan move to the Championship could be the ideal next step for his development, just as it was for Elliott.
Former Liverpool winger Harry Wilson used a temporary spell at Derby in 2018/19 as the springboard towards establishing himself at senior level, even if it meant leaving Anfield for Fulham to do so.
Clark has some excellent case studies to lean upon if he feels that a year away from Merseyside would be the right move towards his ultimate goal of establishing himself in the Reds’ first team.